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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pop — music
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pop — soda
  8. tube — the underground
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. deal — to handle
  11. game — wild animals
  12. tube — a container
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pop — to visit
  15. game — a match
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. march — the month
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. march — the month
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bulb — for light
  24. march — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com